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Winter Olympics 2014: 5 things to watch today in Sochi (Feb. 13)

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Jeremy Abbott of the United States holds his head as he skates off the ice following the men's team short program figure skating competition at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Sochi, Russia.
(Associated Press)

U.S. MEN'S HOCKEY DEBUT

Team USA will meet Slovakia in the opener for both in men's ice hockey. The American team is being touted as a young, fast aggressive team with great depth in goal. The speed will be a key to success on the ice surface that is 15 feet wider than NHL regulations.

LIVE: 7:30-10 a.m. on NBCSN

SLIDING FACE-FIRST

The skeleton returned as an Olympic event in 2002 and it was good for the U.S. as Americans took both the men's and women's gold at Salt Lake City. The past two Olympics have resulted in no U.S. medals, but Noelle Pikus-Pace looks to change that today. For those who don't have NBC LiveExtra app, you haven't seen Pikus-Pace's commercial 4,000 times, so enjoy.

LIVE: 5:30-7:30 a.m. on NBCSN

TAPED: 8-11:30 p.m. on NBC

HEY ABBOTT

With a week to think about the terrible performance in the team skating competition, four-time U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott will be back on the ice for the men's figure skating short program. Abbott moved out of the Olympic Village soon after the meltdown and has put his schedule in the hands of his coach and trainer. (via USAToday.com) We'll see what difference the move has made or if Jason Brown, who replaced Abbott in the long program, is the answer to, "Who's on first?"

LIVE: 10-11:45 a.m. (Part 1), 11:45 a.m.-3 p.m. (Part 2) on NBCSN

TAPED: 8-11:30 p.m. on NBC

CURLING TURNAROUND

On paper today's Britain (3-1) vs. U.S. (1-2) men's curling match is a one-sided matchup. But a look at the numbers reveals the two U.S. losses are to the two remaining undefeated teams in the tournament, China and Norway. On the other side, two of the three Britain wins have come to winless Russia and Germany. The U.S. team will need another solid match from the lone remaining member of the 2006 team that won bronze in Turin, skip John Shuster, to being to put themselves in medal contention.

LIVE: 5-8 a.m. on USA

SPEEDSKATING BREAKTHROUGH?

In 9 of 10 Winter Olympics from 1968-2006, the U.S. has at least one woman (and twice two women) win medals in the 1,000-meter speedskating event. But it has been 12 years since a U.S. woman has won a speedskating medal in any event. Will it end today?